328 CLIMBING AND INSECTIVOROUS PLANTS. [1875. 



have this day's work ; and this I owe to your Ladyship's 

 great kindness. 



The seeds are very curious monsters ; I fancy of some 

 plant allied to Medicago, but I will show them to Dr. Hooker. 



Your Ladyship's very gratefully, 



Ch. Darwin. 



C. Darwin to J. D. Hooker. 



Down, September 30, 1874. 

 My DEAR H., — Your magnificent present of Aldrovanda 

 has arrived quite safe. I have enjoyed greatly a good look 

 at the shut leaves, one of which I cut open. It is an aquatic 

 Dionaea, which has acquired some structures identical with 

 those of Utricularia ! 



If the leaves open, and I can transfer them open under 

 the microscope, I will try some experiments, for mortal man 

 cannot resist the temptation. If I cannot transfer, I will do 

 nothing, for otherwise it would require hundreds of leaves. 

 You are a good man to give me such pleasure. 



Yours affectionately, 



C. Darwin. 



[The manuscript of ' Insectivorous Plants ' was finished in 

 March 1875. He seems to have been more than usually 

 oppressed by the writing of this book, thus he wrote to Sir 

 J. D. Hooker in February : — 



" You ask about my book, and all that I can say is that 

 I am ready to commit suicide ; I thought it was decently 

 written, but find so much wants rewriting, that it will not be 

 ready to go to printers for two months, and will then make 

 a confoundedly big book. Murray will say that it is no use 

 publishing in the middle of summer, so I do not know what 

 will be the upshot ; but I begin to think that every one who 

 publishes a book is a fool." 



The book was published on July 2nd, 1875, and 2700 copies 

 were sold out of the edition of 3000.] 



